Electric VW Bug Concept Car Doesn’t Look Like Dad’s Bug

Remember when a Volkswagon really meant ‘the peoples’ car” and the VW Bug was (relatively) affordable? If designer Ricardo Fedrizzi has his way, those days may return, in the mass production version of his super-tiny, ultra-lightweight zero emissions “Bug” concept car.

According to Ecofriend, recyclable and renewable materials such as vegetable polymers keep the body of the car lightweight, as do polycarbonate windows. That’s right; the electric Bug concept car doesn’t feature glass, which in turn enhances the economy of the car. Another efficient factor here is the aerodynamic shape. While still as cute and cartoony as its forebears, this Bug is a little sleeker–more like a teardrop, less like a ladybug. And here’s an added bonus: the same things that make this car efficient would make it cheap to produce.

image via Ecofriend

Granted, this “micro carro urbana” (in the designer’s words) is really tiny, which means that drivers in the US might balk due to, ahem, bulk. Another factor in the US would of course be the size of other cars and SUVs on the road. But if little Zip cars can take off in urban US centers, why not a tiny, lightweight, ultra-efficient, zero-emissions electric Bug?

Susan DeFreitas has covered all manner of green technology for EarthTechling since 2009. She is a graduate of Prescott College for the Liberal Arts and the Environment, and has a background in marketing green businesses. Her work on green living has been featured in Yes! Magazine, the Utne Reader and Natural Home.